Colchester Classics – Classical Music Picks for April 2017

OUR CLASSICAL MUSIC COLUMNIST LIZ LEATHERDALE, FOUNDER AND OWNER OF COLCHESTER CLASSICS, BRINGS YOU HER PICK OF APRIL’S CLASSICAL MUSIC EVENTS IN, AND AROUND, COLCHESTER.

Classics
Like Advent and Christmas, Lent and Easter have provided composers from every musical era with a wealth of material to set to music, either drawn from the Bible itself or with themes such as repentance, reflection, comfort and joy.   

Alan Bullard, the established British composer based in Essex, recently told me that he originally wrote his Easter work, Wondrous Cross, for the choir of Lion Walk Church in Colchester. This work has subsequently been performed by many choirs in the UK, USA, and Europe, and recorded by the Chapel Choir of Selwyn College, Cambridge, director Sarah MacDonald. This month the Clacton Choral Society conducted by Gilli Dulieu will perform Alan’s Easter work  –  described as a meditation based on the traditional ‘Seven Last Words’ of Jesus Christ.  The music presents itself in a similar way to Stainer’s popular Crucifixion with congregational hymns interspersed between the solo and choral items, culminating in ‘When I Survey the Wondrous Cross’.

Clacton Choral Society will also perform extracts from J S Bach’s St John Passion in English. Bach’s oratorio is often sung in English in the UK and Essex-based CD recording label, Chandos, have just released a new recording of this wonderful work performed by the Crouch End Festival Chorus.  This is an important CD release as the last recording in English was released over forty-five years ago and is no longer available!  Colchester Classics is delighted to offer the audience at this concert, recordings of both this new CD and also Alan Bullard’s Wondrous Cross. (Further details – free phone 0800 999 6994 or email liz@colchesterclassics.co.uk).  This concert takes place on Saturday 8 April in St James Church, Tower Road, Clacton at 7.30pm.

Tickets: £8 including programme on the door (pre-order via 01255 221511).

Last month Colin Baldy was one of the soloists in Colchester Choral Society’s performance of Bach’s St John Passion sung in German. This month he will be conducting a performance of this work with the Choir of St Mary’s Church, Maldon. The choir will perform this work in German but with five of the chorales (hymns) sung in English by both the choir and listeners. St Mary’s Church, Church Street, Maldon. Friday, 14 April at 7.30pm.

Free entry with retiring collection.
On 8 April Ipswich Bach Choir, with a team of excellent soloists including Colchester-based Gill Wilson, present a rare opportunity to hear Handel’s superb oratorio Samson. The most famous number is the soprano aria Let the Bright Seraphim (to be sung by Gill Wilson) but conductor Patrick McCarthy assures me that the rest of the work is packed with equally fine choruses and arias. The performance is at 7pm at St John the Baptist Church, Felixstowe.

Tickets: £12 (01394 271538).

Last but not least, the Essex Youth Orchestra under Robin Browning will perform a popular mix of Russian music including Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scheherazade and Shostakovich’s Second Piano Concerto with soloist Daniel Lebhardt. This is a ticketed free event on Friday 7 April at 7.30pm and takes place at the Saffron Hall, Saffron Walden.

Please check seat availability by telephoning the box office on 0845 548 7650.

If you have a forthcoming concert of classical music, you would like previewed, contact Liz Leatherdale on 0800 999 6994.

Start your love affair with Classical Music at www.colchesterclassics.co.uk and take a minute to watch their company video: 

Liz Leatherdale

Liz Leatherdale

Colchester Classics – Classical Music Picks for October

OUR CLASSICAL MUSIC COLUMNIST LIZ LEATHERDALE, FOUNDER AND OWNER OF COLCHESTER CLASSICS, BRINGS YOU HER PICK OF OCTOBER’S CLASSICAL MUSIC EVENTS IN, AND AROUND, COLCHESTER.

Classics

In Colchester and the surrounding area there always seems to be music available at various festivals, on-going series and visiting international artists at concert venues. Here is a sneak peek at some taking place in October in our musically rich region.

The 65th season of the Stour Valley Arts & Music 2016/2017 series begins with the Calder Quartet from America performing chamber music including Debussy’s only String Quartet (a work that takes me back to my A Level music class when it was one of the set works!) The Calder Quartet is widely recognised as an outstanding ensemble and this concert forms part of its European tour which also takes in London’s Wigmore Hall and concert venues in Zurich, Frankfurt and Madrid. Sunday 9 October 2016 at 4pm in St Mary’s Church, The Street, East Bergholt CO7 6TA.

(01206 298426) www.svam.org.uk

Colchester’s Roman River Festival enters its final weekend of events with the usual varied mix of music.  Friday 30 September  sees Mahler’s Symphony No.1 being performed in a new version for fifteen players plus a rare chance to hear Bartók’s Miraculous Mandarin with its story of lust and power. This will be the first time a Mahler symphony has been performed at the Festival. Friday, September 30, 8pm in Stoke by Nayland Church

Saturday 1 October in the same stunning location, international cellist Tim Hugh performs Britten’s Cello Symphony accompanied by the Festival Orchestra. The orchestra will also perform Vaughan William’s heart-felt response to the horrors of World War Two with his Fifth Symphony. Saturday October 1 at 6pm in St Mary’s Church Stoke by Nayland

In complete contrast, the Festival Finale on Sunday 2 October at 4pm showcases much of the education and outreach work which has been taking place over the last few months with a folk-inspired musical journey around the British Isles and beyond.

To view the remaining concerts at the Festival and to check for ticket availability please contact (07759 934860) www.romanrivermusic.org.uk

Two lunchtime concert series begin early in October.  Firstly, Allan Granville and Christopher Roberts perform piano duets on the Boston piano with Borough Organist Ian Ray playing music by J.S. Bach, Herbert Howells and Alexandre Guilmant. Tuesday October 4 at 1pm, Colchester Moot Hall.

Admission is free with a retiring collection in aid of The Friends of the Moot Hall Organ.

Secondly, the following day also at 1pm Charles Hine (clarinet) accompanied at the piano by Ian Ray presents the first concert in the Autumn Lion Walk Church Lunchtime series. Wednesday October 5, Colchester.

Free entry with retiring collection.

Many Colchester musicians will be performing in the British Clarinet Ensemble’s 21st Anniversary special concert where Charles Hine conducts works including music by Colchester-based composer, Alan Bullard. Saturday, October 2016  at 7.3opm, Stapleford Granary, Bury Road, Stapleford, Cambridge, CB22 5BP.

Tickets from £8 (01572 756128).

If you have a forthcoming concert of classical music, you would like previewed, contact Liz Leatherdale on 0800 999 6994.

Start your love affair with Classical Music at www.colchesterclassics.co.uk and take a minute to watch their company video: 

Liz Leatherdale

 

 

 

 

 

Liz Leatherdale